Agriculture
The past was agriculture in Farafra and so will be the future. New wells (at a million Egyptian pounds each) are being drilled everyday, eleven new villages are planned with seven already created.
Three new olive presses are in the oasis. And now the oasis produces more than it needs and is exporting dates, olives, apricots, wheat, rice, and beans to the Nile Valley. New plants currently being developed include medicinal and perfume plants. New watermelon plantations are being planted in several locations.
Caravan Routes & Roadways
The road between Farafra and Bahariya wasn’t paved until 1978. Before that there was only the caravan route, the camel trail. Known locally as Darb al-Bahariya when in Farafra, and Darb al-Farafra in Bahariya, it was the major caravan route linking Farafra to Bahariya and the Nile Valley before the construction of the macadamized road.
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Crafts
The inhabitants of Farafra Oasis have an abundantly rich tradition of handicrafts and arts. The production of these traditional crafts, represent both functional and decorative items used by the local Bedouin population. These include hand thrown pottery, hand woven wool products and clothing, carpet making, and basket weaving.
Land
There is evidence to support the theory that Farafra binds the entire Western Desert together. It had little to offer Pharaoh, Caliph, or King, remaining isolated for centuries; yet it is on the way to everywhere. If you are in the deep desert, Farafra is always nearby.
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People
There is more Bedouin blood in Farafra than in any of the other oases. There is also strong lineage connections stemming from Libya and many residents carry the surname Sanusi.
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Water
Through the centuries, agriculture in the Oasis was limited to a few acres around Qasr and its outlying gardens, creating subsistence farming in limited crops like dates and olives. Water, a major problem in Farafra, is one of the reasons it remained so primitive for so long. While Dakhla Oasis has over 250 wells in its 410 square kilometers (256 square miles), until 1989, Farafra had less than forty.
Now all of this has changed. Recent exploration has determined that there is plenty of water in Farafra, enough for the development of a major agricultural scheme. The New Valley Governorate is slowly luring people from the Nile Valley out to this desert frontier to set down roots and cultivate the land.
